Fall Prevention for Older Adults

Improving Independence in the Home Environment: Assessment and Intervention

Bathroom | Bedroom | Medications | Kitchen | Living Room | Telephone | Steps | Home Management | Safety | Leisure

Kitchen

Problem Potential Intervention
Open flames and burners
  • Microwave
  • Hot plates
  • Meals on wheels
  • Auto shut off
  • Electronic toaster oven
  • Crock pot
  • Frozen dinners
  • Individual coffee maker
Access items
  • Place commonly used items within easy reach
  • Adjust height of counters, cupboards, drawers
  • Lazy susans
Hard to open refrigerator
  • Foot lever
Carrying items
  • Slide across counter
  • Use cart
  • Walker basket or tray
  • Bridge items surface to surface
  • Eat at counter sitting on stool
Difficulty seeing
  • Increase number of lights
  • Contrasting colored china, placemats, napkins
  • Utensils with brightly colored handles

Note: The interventions described in this assessment serve only as suggestions. A complete assessment of a person’s individual needs should be conducted by a team of licensed and trained professionals. Any intervention or modification to a building must comply with local, state, and federal laws and building codes. In apartments or rental homes, written permission to make modifications should be obtained from the landlord, owner, or property manager. Architectural interventions should be assessed by a licensed architect and carried out by a licensed construction contractor.

Bathroom | Bedroom | Medications | Kitchen | Living Room | Telephone | Steps | Home Management | Safety | Leisure

[back to top]

Reproduced from: Assessment and Intervention of the Home Environment for Older Persons, Center for Therapeutic Applications of Technology, University of Buffalo, 515 Kimball Tower, 3435 Main Street, Buffalo, New York, 14214-3079, phone (716) 829-3141, fax (716) 829-3217. http://wings.buffalo.edu/academic/department/hrp/ot/cat/

Download the latest version of Adobe Reader® to view and print PDF files.

Last updated: 26 July, 2010

Educational programs of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service are open to all people without regard to race, color, sex, disability, religion, age, or national origin.